[LMB] OT: Quoting and email providers

[Mark Allums]

Patricia A. Swan wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:52:58 -0400, Suzette Petty asked:

>> I'm thinking of either switching my list messages to my 
>> comcast account, or getting a new account somewhere else.  
>> Would anyone who has experience with comcast list email 
>> care to share their experience? Or care to suggest a 
>> (preferrably free) email provider that doesn't require 
>> a lot of work when quoting?

 > [snippage]

> You can test fastmail with their free account, and then if you
> like how their interface functions, you can opt for a paid level
> of service with whatever goodies you like.  They are highly,
> highly recommended, and I've made them my permanent master email
> address, and when I had the funds, I went ahead and paid for the
> box for five years just so I didn't have to worry about a
> fluctuation in my address (after being on the Net for 13 years,
> I've gone through several primary addresses)

This is the same reason why I got an email account with GoDaddy/ 
Secureserver.  And like Patricia, I have prepaid several years ahead. 
GoDaddy are the good guys, mostly, although they are not perfect.  (They 
have been quick to pull the plug--censor--certain highly controversial 
web sites.)

Anyway, my experience has been that having an email provider that is 
independent of your ISP is a great advantage.  Whether you go with 
FastMail, gmail, GoDaddy, or someone else, it saves a lot of hassle when 
you situation changes.  If you move, change ISPs, jobs, schools, etc., 
your email stays put.

Also, you *can* shop around.  But try to pick one that is flexible, will 
still be there in five years, and doesn't muck with the effin' formatting!

You might also consider a vanity domain name to go with your email 
address.  That way, you can control the email addresses directly.  For 
instance, If you opt for one of GoDaddy's higher-end services, you get 
not one but possibly 100 or more mailboxes, which can have any name you 
choose.  So, you can have more than one mailbox for different purposes. 
You can later delete a mailbox when it begins to fill up with spam. 
Simply open another mailbox with another name, and pick up from there.

Examples:

bujoldfreak at somedomain.net,
thisisathrowaway at somedomain.net,
johndoe1 at somedomain.net, johndoe2 at somedomain.net, 
johndoe3 at somedomain.net, johndoe4 at somedomain.net, 
johndoe5 at somedomain.net, johndoe6 at somedomain.net

etc.

GoDaddy domains are US$10.00 a year, and that comes with 5 mailboxes. 
The full email service is priced in several levels, including 1000MB 
distributed among your mailboxes any way you like for US$19.99/yr, and 
2000MB plus a whole slew [slough?] of mailboxes for US$29.99/yr.  This 
also includes POP3 or IMAP, as well as web-based access.

I expect you can find other similar (perhaps better) deals with other 
outfits.

Have fun!

--MArk Allums